A routing scheme using intention packets is contemplated. At times, one or more switching devices within a network may become overloaded with traffic or may encounter other adverse transmission conditions. When this occurs, a switching device may drop one or more packets to alleviate some of the congestion or other adverse condition. The switching devices may support a particular amount of resources (e.g. bandwidth, buffers, etc.) in and out of each of their ports. When a packet or a header portion of a packet arrives at a switching device, the switching device may determine what port the packet will need and the amount resources required by the packet on that port. If the required resources available for the packet on the port, then the switching device may route the packet to a next device. If the required resources are not available for the packet on the port, then the switching device may drop at least a portion of the packet. As opposed to or in addition to congestion (e.g. insufficient resources), other adverse conditions may be detected. When a packet is dropped, the switching device that dropped it may create an intention packet that corresponds to the dropped packet and route the intention packet to the destination device specified by the dropped packet. The destination device may send a packet to the sending device to resend the request and may perform an operation corresponding to the intention packet in anticipation of receiving a resent request.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. An apparatus, comprising: a first device; a second device; a switching device coupled to said first device and said second device; wherein said switching device is configured to receive a first packet from said first device, wherein said switching device is further configured to detect an adverse transmission condition, wherein in response to said adverse transmission condition, said switching device is configured to drop at least a portion of said first packet, generate a second packet, and convey said second packet to said second device, wherein said second packet includes intention information about said first packet, wherein said intention information includes an indication of a type of said first packet.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said first packet includes a header and a payload, and wherein said switching device is configured to drop said payload and generate said second packet from at least a portion of said header.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said second packet includes a flag indicating that at least a portion of said first packet has been dropped.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said second device is configured to convey a third packet to said first device in response to receiving said second packet.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein said first packet corresponds to a request, and wherein said first device is configured to reschedule said request in response to receiving said third packet.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein said third packet comprises a negative acknowledgement.
7. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein said second device is configured to perform a first operation corresponding to a request indicated by said second packet, and wherein said first packet corresponds to said request.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein said second device is configured to receive a fourth packet subsequent to receiving said second packet, and wherein said second device is configured to perform a second operation corresponding to said fourth packet in response to determining that said second operation is independent of said request.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said second device is configured to convey a fifth packet corresponding to said fourth packet in response to determining that said second operation is not independent of said request, and wherein said fifth packet comprises a negative acknowledgement.
10. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein said second device is configured to receive a fourth packet subsequent to receiving said second packet, and wherein said second device is configured to perform a second operation corresponding to said fourth packet to complete said request, wherein said first operation was performed in preparation for said request.
11. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein said first packet corresponds to a response to a request, wherein said second device is configured to reschedule said request in response to receiving said second packet, and wherein said third packet comprises the rescheduled request.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said first device comprises a host interface, and wherein said second device comprises a disk drive.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said adverse transmission condition comprises congestion above a threshold at said switching device is configured to convey said first packet.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said adverse transmission condition comprises corruption of said first packet.
15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said adverse transmission condition comprises a fault condition preventing routing of said first packet along an intended route.
16. A method, comprising: receiving a first packet from a first device; determining if an adverse transmission condition is present; and in response to determining that said adverse transmission condition is present: dropping at least part of said first packet; generating a second packet, wherein said second packet includes intention information about said first packet, wherein said intention information includes an indication of a type of said first packet; and conveying said second packet to a second device.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein said first packet includes a header and a payload, wherein said dropping comprises dropping said payload, and wherein said generating comprises converting said header into a severed header.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein said generating comprises generating a flag that indicates that at least part of said first packet has been dropped.
19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising conveying a third packet to said first device in response to receiving said second packet.
20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising rescheduling a request in response to receiving said third packet, wherein said first packet corresponds to said request.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein said third packet comprises a negative acknowledgement.
22. The method of claim 16 , further comprising performing a first operation corresponding to a request indicated by said second packet, wherein said first packet corresponds to said request.
23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising: receiving a fourth packet subsequent to receiving said second packet; determining whether said second operation is independent of said request; and performing a second operation corresponding to said fourth packet in response to determining that said second operation is independent of said request.
24. The method of claim 23 , further comprising: conveying a fifth packet corresponding to said fourth packet in response to determining that said second operation is not independent of said request, wherein said fifth packet comprises a negative acknowledgement.
25. The method of claim 22 , further comprising: receiving a fourth packet subsequent to receiving said second packet; and performing a second operation corresponding to said fourth packet to complete said request.
26. The method of claim 19 , further comprising: rescheduling a request in response to receiving said second packet, wherein said first packet corresponds to a response to said request, and wherein said third packet corresponds to said request.
27. The method of claim 16 , wherein said first device comprises a host interface, and wherein said second device comprises a disk drive.
28. The method of claim 16 , wherein said adverse transmission condition comprises congestion above a threshold.
29. The method of claim 16 , wherein said adverse transmission condition comprises corruption of said first packet.
30. The method of claim 16 , wherein said adverse transmission condition comprises a fault condition preventing routing of said first packet along an intended route.
31. A device, comprising: a first port configured to receive a first packet; a second port; a switching device coupled to said first port and said second port, wherein said switching device is configured to receive said first packet from a first device at said first port, wherein said switching device is further configured to detect an adverse transmission condition, wherein in response to said adverse transmission condition, said switching device is configured to drop at least a portion of said first packet, generate a second packet, and convey said second packet from said second port to a second device, wherein said second packet includes intention information about said first packet wherein said intention information includes an indication of a type of said first packet.
32. The device of claim 31 , wherein said second packet includes at least a portion of a header from said first packet.
33. The device of claim 32 , wherein said first packet includes a header and a payload, and wherein said second packet includes a flag indicating that said payload has been dropped.
34. An apparatus, comprising: a first device; a second device; a switching device coupled to said first device and said second device; wherein said switching device is configured to receive a first packet from said first device, wherein said first packet includes a header and a payload; wherein said switching device is further configured to detect an adverse transmission condition, wherein in response to said adverse transmission condition, said switching device is configured to: drop said payload and generate said second packet from at least a portion of said header, wherein said second packet includes information about said first packet; and convey said second packet to said second device.
35. An apparatus, comprising: a first device; a second device; a switching device coupled to said first device and said second device; wherein said switching device is configured to: receive a first packet from said first device; detect an adverse transmission condition; in response to said adverse transmission condition: said switching device is configured to drop at least a portion of aid first packet; generate a second packet, wherein said second packet includes information about said first packet, and a flag indicating that at least a portion of said first packet has been dropped; convey said second packet to said second device.
36. An apparatus, comprising: a first device; a second device; a switching device coupled to said first device and said second device; wherein said switching device is configured to: receive a first packet from said first device; detect an adverse transmission condition; in response to said adverse transmission condition: drop at least a portion of said first packet; generate a second packet, wherein said second packet includes information about said first packet; convey said second packet to said second device; wherein said second device is configured to convey a third packet to said first device in response to receiving said second packet; wherein said first packet corresponds to a request; and wherein said first device is configured to reschedule said request in response to receiving said third packet.
37. An apparatus, comprising: a first device; a second device; a switching device coupled to said first device and said second device; wherein said switching device is configured to: receive a first packet from said first device; to detect an adverse transmission condition; in response to said adverse transmission condition: drop at least a portion of said first packet; generate a second packet, wherein said second packet includes information about said first packet; convey said second packet to said second device; wherein said second device is configured to perform a first operation corresponding to a request indicated by said second packet, and wherein said first packet corresponds to said request.
38. An apparatus, comprising: a first device; a second device; a switching device coupled to said first device and said second device; wherein said switching device is configured to: receive a first packet from said first device, wherein said first packet corresponds to a response to a request; detect an adverse transmission condition; in response to said adverse transmission condition: drop at least a portion of said first packet; generate a second packet, wherein said second packet includes information about said first packet; convey said second packet to said second device; wherein in response to receiving said second packet said second device is configured to: reschedule said request; convey a third packet to said first device, wherein said third packet comprises the rescheduled request.
39. A method, comprising: receiving a first packet from a first device, wherein said first packet includes a header and a payload; determining if an adverse transmission condition is present; and in response to determining that said adverse transmission condition is present: dropping at least part of said first packet; wherein said dropping comprises: dropping said payload; converting said header into a severed header, generating a second packet, wherein said second packet includes information about said first packet; and conveying said second packet to a second device.
40. A method, comprising: receiving a first packet from a first device; determining if an adverse transmission condition is present; and in response to determining that said adverse transmission condition is present: dropping at least part of said first packet; generating a second packet, wherein said second packet includes information about said first packet, wherein said generating comprises generating a flag that indicates that at least part of said first packet has been dropped; and conveying said second packet to a second device.
41. A method, comprising: receiving a first packet from a first device; determining if an adverse transmission condition is present; in response to determining that said adverse transmission condition is present: dropping at least part of said first packet; generating a second packet, wherein said second packet includes information about said first packet; and conveying said second packet to a second device; conveying a third packet to said first device in response to receiving said second packet; and rescheduling a request in response to receiving said third packet, wherein said first packet corresponds to said request.
42. A method, comprising: receiving a first packet from a first device; determining if an adverse transmission condition is present; in response to determining that said adverse transmission condition is present: dropping at least part of said first packet; generating a second packet, wherein said second packet includes information about said first packet; and conveying said second packet to a second device; performing a first operation corresponding to a request indicated by said second packet, wherein said first packet corresponds to said request.
43. A method, comprising: receiving a first packet from a first device; determining if an adverse transmission condition is present; in response to determining that said adverse transmission condition is present: dropping at least part of said first packet; generating a second packet, wherein said second packet includes information about said first packet; and conveying said second packet to a second device; conveying a third packet to said first device in response to receiving said second packet; and rescheduling a request in response to receiving said second packet, wherein said first packet corresponds to a response to said request, and wherein said third packet corresponds to said request.
44. A device, comprising: a first port configured to receive a first packet; a second port; a switching device coupled to said first port and said second port, wherein said switching device is configured to: receive said first packet from a first device at said first port; detect an adverse transmission condition; in response to said adverse transmission condition: drop at least a portion of said first packet; generate a second packet, wherein said second packet includes information about said first packet, and at least a portion of a header from said first packet; and convey said second packet from said second port to a second device.
45. The device of claim 44 , wherein said first packet includes a header and a payload, and wherein said second packet includes a flag indicating that said payload has been dropped.
46. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said second packet includes diagnostic information about said adverse transmission condition.
47. The apparatus of claim 45 , wherein said diagnostic information includes a switch indicator, wherein said switch indicator identifies said switching device where said adverse transmission condition was detected.
48. The method of claim 16 , wherein said generating comprises generating diagnostic information about said adverse transmission condition.
49. The method of claim 48 , wherein said generating comprises generating a switch indicator, wherein said switch indicator identifies said switching device where said adverse transmission condition was detected.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
July 25, 2000
August 2, 2005
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